Over the years he had thought that his son must have died. But seeing the mark on Lucas' chest, a new knowing sensation swept over him that Lucas could be his missing son.
"That birthmark! It looks exactly like the one my four-year-old son has on his chest," Derick mumbled inwardly.
Lucas was startled as to why Derick suddenly went blank just by staring at his chest.
Lucas got nervous, then drew his shirt and covered the birthmark.
Derick then raises his gaze. "What's your name again?"
"My name is Lucas. I said that to you not quite long ago," Lucas replied.
"The mark on your chest, how did you get it?" Derick asked.
Though Lucas didn't have an answer for that, or perhaps he doesn't know how to explain.
Lucas grew up in a poor home. And his father was an asshole, always treating him like a nobody. It was later, when Lucas was twenty years old, that his mother told him that she wasn't his biological mother, that she had seen him by the riverside, floating on a broken wooden board, barely breathing, and because she didn't have a child of her own, she decided to take him home. After telling him the truth, she passed away due to health issues.
"It's a birthmark, sir," Lucas finally replied.
Derick chuckled softly, rubbing his beard. "Impressive, I was just curious; the birthmark looks so much like my late son, but anyway, just forget about it; there's no way he would be alive after these years."
Lucas stared dumbfounded; the story was somehow making sense.
"Could it be?" He wondered inwardly. Even his thoughts got stuck, rumbling in an endless maze of puzzle.
Derick then rolled on his wheelchair, heading towards the door.
"But, sir, what about my lottery rewards?" Lucas asked. "Sorry, Mr. Lucas, but we have to postpone our meeting. I will give you your rewards, but that's after I have done some verification."
Lucas was confused. He had shown Derick the evidence he had, but still Derick refused to give him his rewards.
Derick smiled softly at Lucas as he noticed his worried expression. "Don't worry, Mr. Lucas, your rewards are intact. I will get the company to sign the check for you once I'm done with the verification. For now, wait for my calls, alright?"
After saying this, Derick walked out of the office. Leaving Lucas seated alone in thoughts.
What Derick did wasn't to verify anything of the sort. He couldn't hold the disbelief that had struck him, knowing that his son was alive after all these years.
He knows the mark on Lucas' chest wasn't a coincidence. Furthermore, he felt as though if he gave Lucas the reward now, he would never see him again, and no one would ever abandon such a large amount of money.
After Derick went out of the office. Lucas was seated, still confused as to what was really happening.
Soon, the door pushed open, and the female security guard who had brought him to the office called out.
"Hello, sir."
Lucas nodded, already knowing why the security called to his attention; it's time for him to leave. The security led him down the elevator, and after he was out of the building, he made his way back home.
Reaching home, he caught sight of Clara from a distance, glaring at him, her stare sharp and full of anger. Hands crossed against her chest, and at some point, it felt as though she wanted to spit in Lucas' face.
"Where are you coming from? I came back from my sweet vacation and found the front door open. Is that how you have gotten so careless? Secondly, where is Amanda?"
Lucas gave no replies; he walked past Clara like she was invisible to him. And this got her infuriated.
Clara hadn't planned to come back home today. It was because of what Lucas told her about Amanda's death that she got so scared that she had to forfeit everything and return home.
Lucas went over to the sofa and sat. Down. Clara came over to him.
"Hey, don't give me deaf ears; I know you can hear me. Why on earth will you leave the front door open? Did you want someone to sneak and steal my expensive jewelry?"
Lucas remained quiet.
The next thing Clara did was fling a paper on the table in front of him. "I'm sick and tired of you, Lucas. You have never once contributed to my career or supported anything I do. All you do is keep accusing me of cheating without a single piece of evidence. Yes, I will admit that I have cheated once with one of my workers, but that doesn't count, nor does it give you any window to disrespect me."
After saying these words, Clara took a deep breath. "Sign the divorce papers, and leave my house, and be assured you are not going anywhere with Amanda."
Lucas once more didn't flinch nor get surprised by the divorce papers in front of him. He casually picked up the pen and signed the papers.